Orangeburg Guard troops bound for Afghanistan

I was one of those in the crowd waving my flag and shouting "good Luck!" Story from the T & D:


Orangeburg businesses and schools are expected to answer the call to show support for the historic deployment of soldiers from the Orangeburg 218th Brigade Company B/163rd Battalion today.Company B will be deployed to Afghanistan as part of Task Force Phoenix. The entire tour of duty is expected to be 18 months, which includes preliminary training before arrival in Afghanistan and debriefing.Soldiers will depart for two months of training to Camp Shelby, Miss. before heading to Afghanistan in April for a yearlong deployment to a base outside of Kabul.The 90-troop deployment is the Orangeburg unit’s largest since World War II.

Really inspiring to see all the folks, some of which I knew from my parents home in Branchville. Thought they were carrying their vehicles with them (perhaps they went on ahead) but these troops headed out in vans and buses. One fellow gave me the "V" for Victory sign. Good job Orangeburg. Way to support the troops!